Many outdoor enthusiasts enjoy snowboarding and skiing in fresh snow or “powder.” At traditional ski resorts, the large crowds quickly track the powder after each snowstorm. To avoid the crowds and find fresh powder, some skier and snowboarders venture beyond the boundaries of the traditional resorts. This practice is commonly known as backcountry skiing or backcountry snowboarding.
Although the condition of the snow may be better in the backcountry, skiing and snowboarding in the backcountry comes with its own challenges. The backcountry lacks the chairlifts, gondolas, or trams that are used in traditional resorts to shuttle patrons to the top of the mountain. Without these forms of transportation, a backcountry skier or snowboarder must hike to the top of the mountain to enjoy the downhill ride in the powder. Heavy equipment and steep terrain can make the hike up the mountain challenging even in ideal conditions. The deep powder that draws skiers and snowboarders to the backcountry can further impede their progress up the slopes. Any individual attempting to hike up a mountain without specialized equipment will quickly sink into the deep powder halting their progress.
For skiers, this challenge has been overcome through the use of telemark skis with “ski skins” that can be attached to the bottom of each ski. The skins provide the requisite traction and the telemark skis include pivoting bindings which allow the user to glide up the mountain without sinking in the powder by performing a walking or skating movement. During the ascent, the pivoting bindings allow for free movement of the skier's heel, whereas during the descent the bindings can be locked into a fixed position to provide the necessary rigidity and stability. This equipment setup is advantageous because a skier must only bring ski skins in addition to their traditional gear.
Unlike skis, a snowboard's single board design requires users to remove their snowboard to hike the mountain. Consequently, a backcountry snowboarder must bring secondary equipment to aid in their trek up the slopes. Snowshoes are commonly used but lack the efficiency of telemark or cross country skies. Other snowboarders may opt for a pair of telemark or cross-country skies to aid in the ascent. However, the snowboarder must carry their snowboard on their back during the ascent and then carry their skies on their back during the descent. The weight of the secondary gear may become prohibitive. The added weight requires greater exertion which may exhaust a snowboarder quicker and limit their number of runs.
Splitboards have been developed to address these shortcomings (See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,226,109 and 8,733,783). Splitboards allow for a snowboard to be separated longitudinally into two asymmetrical skis during the ascent and then be recombined into a snowboard during the descent. Although splitboards are an improvement over carrying an additional pair of snowshoes or telemark skis, they have their own drawbacks. For example, the process of separating and recombining the splitboard can be difficult. During the ascent, ice may form on the latching mechanism that combines the boards. Furthermore, snowboarders wear heavy gear and gloves that may further complicate the process of aligning the intricate pieces and combining the two skis. In addition, the asymmetrical shape of each ski differs from a traditional ski. The large and irregular shapes complicate the process of finding skins for each asymmetrical ski. The performance of a splitboard is also compromised in comparison to a traditional snowboard. Finally, the cost of a splitboard may be prohibitive.